An Inspector Falls
by Mag the Pie
Summary: The Inspector tests the boundaries of how far she is willing to go in her fight against the Old Ones.


**An Inspector Falls**

 **It always begins with an ending.**

 _Dead Cthulhu dreams eternal, aneath the waves_

 _Aslumbered In R'lyeh's dark dank caves_

 _Waiting for the time the stars align_

 _To bring forth the Old Ones from their graves._

So read the scrawled page found gripped tightly in the curators hands. The inspector waited impatiently while photographs were taken, before kneeling down to prise the page from the body's cold grip.

She began mouthing the now familiar lines she had come to rely on to endure homicide investigations: 'Ere dark day or cold night, Freya keep me in your sight' It helped muffle the sounds of her colleagues retching in the background. There was plenty to retch about. The library was slick with blood – the stench overpowering and the curator's body was so twisted and misshapen in death that it was barely recognisable. Only the ID badge served to give a name to this wretched clump of flesh.

The inspector motioned to her partner to join her – reluctantly he placed a plastic bag to kneel down on, and through the handkerchief he mumbled a quiet 'what does it say?'

'Same as the last one. Soon as this lot have finished, get them out as quickly as possible. Tell the press to fuck off , come back and lock the door and stay here until I've finished'.

Caspian opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but her look changed his mind before he did. 'Right – ok' he said reluctantly. He stood up and started badgering the police photographers out.

As the door clicked shut the inspector took a deep breath and steadied herself. She placed the items from her pocket on the plastic bag Caspian had knelt on: penknife, hipflask, cigarettes, salt and anti bacterial wipes. Lighting up, she looked around the room one more time and, feeling like she wanted to be anywhere on Earth but here, she opened the knife. Slicing her palm with the blade she began the invocation.

'Une fois de plus, je vous offre du rhum sur l'autel.

Une fois de plus, j'offre le sacrifice de la viande.

Une fois de plus, je vous offre l'encens capiteux du tabac.' *

Opening the flask she allowed some blood to trickle in. The familiar underwater feeling started almost immediately. Her sight blurred and swam and at the door Caspian convulsed to the floor, alien guttural noises spitting from his mouth.

The Inspector watched him with a mixture of horror, guilt and anticipation as he rose from the floor and stood, head high, looking around with an air of pride and arrogance. Sniffing the air he said in a low rumbling voice, 'Salut mon loup. Je peux sentir la mort. et le rhum et le tabac. Donne le moi.' **

 _*Once more I offer you rum on the Altar._

 _Once more I offer the sacrifice of meat._

 _Once more I offer you the incense of tobacco_

 _**Hello my wolf. I smell death. And rum and tobacco. Give it to me._

Caspian stepped forward, his hand out to the inspector. Taking a last drag on the cigarette, she passed it to him with the flask. 'Baron Samedi, before you take this soul onwards I have a favour to ask'

'Toujours une faveur de mon loup. il n'y a pas beaucoup de rhum et de fumée pour justifier une faveur. Peut-être que je pourrais monter ce cheval pendant un moment? peut-être que je pourrais te monter pendant un moment hein?' *

Caspian finished with a dirty chuckle.

'I wouldn't want to upset Madam Bridgette Baron' she forced a smile. 'Please tell me who killed this soul. I have a whole packet of cigarettes here'.

Cette âme ne va nulle part mon loup. Profanation. La corruption. Le baron aide seulement les âmes intactes. Et ce cheval ne veut pas être monté. Je n'ai pas d'affaire ici. Garde tes cadeaux. Je vais monter avec toi une autre fois. Lire le papier à nouveau mon loup. Au revoir. **

The air cleared. The Inspector gasped and reeled and Caspian slumped to the floor, pale and wide eyed. 'What the fuck?'.

'Are you ok Caspian?' 'The fuck I am. I've pissed myself. What happened?'

'I think you fainted. It's close in here. Give me a minute and then we can get out and let the cleaners in.'

She replaced her equipment quickly in her pocket and looked again at the paper.

Blood made it difficult to discern but she could see a series of numbers scrawled on the bottom. She bagged the paper, put it in her pocket and motioned to him. 'Come on Caspian, let's get out of here. Get some fresh air'.

 **Inspectors remorse.**

The Inspector shut the door of her flat. She barely made it to the sofa before collapsing half on half off. Wracking sobs left her gasping for air but she held herself so tightly the breaths wouldn't come. Close to passing out she was suddenly cradled by a warm and fierce love that slowly unclenched her arms and legs from their foetal position. Breathing deeply now she relaxed as the sobs subsided. 'Shhh daughter. Let it go. Be peaceful and let me take the pain.' The voice came from within but she answered out loud. 'I can't keep doing this to Caspian. It's wrong.'

'You have no choice. He is a soldier. It is for the greater good daughter'. The voice was ancient and kind and had been with the Inspector since she could remember.

 _*Always a favour from my wolf. There is not much rum and smoke to warrant a favour. Maybe I could ride this horse for a while? Maybe i could ride you for a while eh?_

 _** This soul isn't going anywhere my wolf. Desecration. Corruption. The Baron only helps untainted souls. And this horse doesn't want to be ridden. I have no business here. Keep your gifts. I will ride with you another time. Read the paper again my wolf. Goodbye._

'It's getting harder to face him each time. I need to tell him'.

'That's your decision daughter. You will have to accept the consequences. All of them'.

'Always. Every fucking time'. The Inspector rose from the sofa and poured a glass of vodka. She kicked her shoes off, refilled her glass and took a long shower which wasn't sufficient to wash away the day. The bottle and the next one was empty before she could think about closing her eyes to sleep.

 **The mourning after.**

She awoke with the alarm, head pounding her eyes out of their sockets, the sheets soaked in sweat. A quick prayer to St Bibiana to ease her pain before another shower and then off to work.

Caspian was waiting in the car at the end of the road. 'Jesus, you stink'. She looked out of the window, refusing to meet his eye. He was used to it and said nothing. The journey was silent, the windows clouded and the atmosphere uncomfortable.

At the office Caspian put the coffee on. She had it far too strong so he always watered his down, didn't know how she could drink it like that. 'I had those dreams again last night' he said, putting her cup in front of her. 'Big African bloke having sex with this woman in my bed and using all my stuff- drinking all my booze, you know -really weird'.

The Inspector managed a 'huh' and covered up the silence by drinking deeply of her coffee. She still hadn't looked at him. Here goes….

'Caspian?'

'Hmm?'

'Yesterday, at the scene. You fainted…..' she tailed off, not wanting to continue.

'Yeah. Look, I'm sorry, I just felt ill that's all. I'm not good with gore. It won't happen again'.

'No, look, it's not anything to do with you. Close the door will you. And sit down for fucks sake, my head's banging.'.

Caspian closed the door quietly and sat down opposite her.

'I had to speak to someone about that paper we found. Someone from the other side'.

'Well you bollocksed that up then boss. What went wrong?'

'Nothing Caspian. It was Baron Samedi, He was there and we spoke'.

'But who?… '. Realisation came to Caspians face with force. 'You didn't. Is that why you wanted me there? What the fuck?'

'I'm sorry. I had to work quickly and, umm , well, while I'm being honest, it's not the first time.'

'I don't fucking believe this – how dare you fucking use me like that – I've had nightmares every fucking night!' How many times has this happened?'

'A few times - Caspian – I'm so sorry – I had no choice. The Ghede need someone to be able to come through. I was desperate – we need to catch whoever's doing this and I have no idea how else to find them'.

'Well fuck you! D'you know that bastard made me piss my pants last time? I thought it was me. Made me question whether I'm up to this work , and all the time it's some voodoo wanker you invited'.

Caspian wrenched the door open and left the office, heads following him, turning to look at the Inspector, then self consciously averting their gaze.

She slammed the door shut and glared at the others. Sitting down with her head in her hands, she muttered her mantra hoping it would help. She wouldn't go after him. Let him cool down a bit first, then try and somehow make it up to him.

She lit a candle for Clementia and opened her casebook.

 **Caspian's all at sea**

He was at home when she knocked at the door. 'Fuck off!' he shouted. 'Caspian, please. Just let me in to explain. I need you to know why I did this'.

'Fuck. Off'

She spoke an incantation and the lock snapped open. Stepping across the threshold she moved in on him. Punching him squarely in the chest with the heel of her hand he fell to the floor winded. As he tried to regain his breath she sat on his chest and forced a small roll of parchment into his mouth. With her hands blocking his mouth and nose, she shouted 'dòmi nanm epi fè òf mwen'* With a look of terror and resignation he swallowed the parchment. She relaxed her hold as the colour drained from his lips, the anger from his face and the strength from his body.

Getting up she straightened her clothes and, moving for the door, glanced at Caspian. 'Come on, we've got a case to solve'. 'Yes Inspector' said Caspian in a soft and emotionless voice. 'Yes Inspector'.

Later, back in her flat the Inspector sobbed until once again, the soft and warm embrace led her from the edge of the abyss. 'Hush daughter, you did what you had to. You have made your path easier, smoothed the way. A Golem eh? You are inventive. Hush now daughter, and find some peace.'

* _Sleep now soul, and do my will._


End file.
